Sky Eyes
by Cheile
Summary: Tom, B'Elanna and Harry make friends (and slightly more, in Harry's case) with an alien girl who later has an impact on their lives.


Author's note: Star Trek Voyager is copyrighted by Paramount. Tom,   
B'Elanna and Harry belong to them, the story belongs to me. Gaeriel   
belongs to herself.  
  
Dedication: To Gaeriel, author of the fantastic Liora Kim series, and   
one of the coolest K/Ters I've ever met. I hope you don't mind me   
putting you in a P/T story, Gaeri, but when I got this idea, I   
immediately thought of you.  
  
Sky Eyes  
by Cheile  
  
  
  
Captain's Log, Stardate 53240.7. *We have been in contact with a   
people called the Fiori, who have an abundant supply of fruits that   
contain essential vitamins that Doctor says we need. Since they are   
willing to negotiate and have shown no hostility, I have allowed the   
crew to take shore leave as well.*  
  
B'Elanna walked down a sun-dappled path, amazed at the beauty of Fiora.   
The huge trees had yellow-green leaves and drooping branches that made a   
tunnel of sorts, but the leaves were so translucent that the sun shone   
through them. Beneath her feet were pale blue stones marking the path,   
and lining the path were bushes with smaller, blue-green leaves that   
were about the size of a pansy. She could only look around in wonder   
and awe.  
"Whatcha looking at, 'Lanna love?"  
B'Elanna turned to smile at her blue-eyed husband. "Just the plants.   
It's so beautiful here."  
"Not as beautiful as you are."  
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not--"  
He lay a finger across her lips. "Shh. Don't say you're not   
beautiful."  
She leaned against him, her head on his shoulder and just relaxed with   
the feel of his arms around her, his hands lightly rubbing her back.   
Then they moved around to her extended abdomen.  
"How is she doing?" he said softly.  
"You still think it's going to be a girl? It sure doesn't kick like   
one."  
"Remember who her mother is. Of course, she wouldn't kick like a   
'girl'."  
"Oh, you!" She gave him a playful push.  
He laughed, then reached down to pick one of the flowers.  
"Tom! Those aren't our flowers!"  
But he already had a blossom in his hand. He tucked it behind her ear,   
so that the flower appeared to be situated within her hair.  
"There," he said, satisfied.  
B'Elanna smiled and shook her head. So caught up was she in bantering   
with Tom that she almost didn't notice the figure nearby. As quickly as   
she had seen it, it disappeared.  
"Tom, I think there's someone following us."  
"Where?" Then he, too, saw. Leading B'Elanna by the hand, he followed   
them around and around until they reached a long, straight path, and   
they could see them up ahead.  
"Wait!" Tom called.  
The figure stopped and turned. It was a young girl, about twenty. She   
had midnight hair and eyes of a startling emerald green. If not for the   
very subtle palest blue tint to her skin that all the Fiori had, the   
girl could have passed for human.  
"Why were you following us?" Tom asked.  
"Catia told me about the aliens visiting. I wanted to see for myself."  
"Catia Deriiani? The Fiori head minister's daughter?"  
The girl nodded. "My best friend."  
"And you are?"  
"Gaeriel Skye," she said, pronouncing it "Gay-ri-elle". "Who are you?"   
she returned boldly.  
"I'm Tom Paris. This is my wife, B'Elanna."  
Gaeriel glanced from B'Elanna to Tom. "You are bonded to him?"  
Assuming bonding was the Fiori term for marriage, B'Elanna nodded.  
Gaeriel fell into step with them. Her gaze then moved to B'Elanna's   
stomach. "You carry a small one, no?"  
"I'm pregnant, yes."  
Gaeriel's eyes brightened. "Will it be a lad or a girl-babe?"  
"We don't know," Tom put in.  
"You have no way of finding out?"  
"There are ways to find out, but we want to be surprised."  
Gaeriel nodded. By this time, they had reached the main plaza of   
Melaine, the Fiori capital. And awaiting them was Catia Deriiani and   
Harry Kim.  
"Hi, Tom, B'Elanna," Harry said cheerfully. Then his eyes landed on   
Gaeriel. "Who's this?"  
Catia stepped forward with a smile. "You must be the two that Ensign   
Kim keeps going on about. I'm pleased to meet you both. And Ensign,   
this is my best friend, Gaeriel Skye."  
Gaeriel smiled at Harry, who smiled back.  
"Voyager to Paris."  
"Go ahead," Tom said.  
"We'd like you three back aboard for a few hours."  
"Is my crew floundering without me again, Captain?" B'Elanna smiled.  
"No, but the Doctor is insisting that you rest."  
"I have always wanted to see a sky-ship," Gaeriel said to Harry.   
"Would I be allowed to come up and see yours?"  
"Captain, one of the Fiori would like to come aboard for a short time.   
May she?"  
"I don't see why not. We'll see you in a minute or so. Janeway out."  
Harry tapped his badge. "Kim to Voyager. Four to beam up."  
  
*  
  
Once they were aboard, Gaeriel looked around. "This is the ship?"  
"The transporter room, at least," Tom laughed. "I'd love to walk   
around with y'all, but I'm due to be in Sickbay and you know how   
cantankerous the Doc gets about me being late. See you later, Gaeriel."   
After kissing B'Elanna, he left.  
"Guess it's just us three, then," B'Elanna smiled. "Lead on,   
Starfleet."  
  
They went nearly everywhere--the hydroponics bay, the mess hall, the   
shuttle bay, and finally, engineering.  
"This is where you work?" Gaeriel exclaimed. She sucked in her breath   
as she looked around Engineering, her wide emerald eyes taking in the   
crew, the amount of activity, the bright blue flashes and swirls of the   
warp core.  
Harry laughed. "She doesn't just work here, she runs the place."  
"Well, I hate to go, but my shift started five minutes ago. You   
wouldn't mind if Harry took you the rest of the way, would you?"  
"Of course not."  
"Have fun, then, and I'll be at the banquet Catia's father is having   
tomorrow. You'll see me then."  
"'Bye, B'Elanna." The two let the lift carry them back down to the   
first level.  
"Gaeri--you don't mind me calling you that, do you?"  
"Of course not, Harry."  
"Where do you want to go now?"  
"I'd like to see one of those holodecks."  
"All right. Then the holodeck it is."  
  
*  
  
(The next evening)  
The banquet itself was a delight. Voyager's senior staff sat with   
Catia, her father Arnas, Catia's younger sister Pachaya and Gaeriel at   
the head table. B'Elanna wore a loose lavendar dress that allowed   
plenty of breathing room. Catia wore a flattering shade of pale yellow   
and Gaeriel had on a sleeveless dress the same shade as her eyes. Harry   
never took his gaze off her the entire evening.  
"We have had a few problems with a small band of terrorists," Arnas was   
saying to Janeway as they strolled the courtyard after dinner. "But   
luckily, they have been few and far between and I hope they will   
continue to be."  
A sudden gunshot rang out and a young boy collapsed to the ground.   
Arnas and Janeway turned. Another shot rang out. Pachaya screamed.   
Within seconds, the terrorists that Arnas had spoken of swarmed into the   
courtyard, their shouts in the Fiori language mingling with the   
gunshots.  
"Kill the aliens!" one yelled.  
Another, hearing this, aimed his rifle straight at B'Elanna.  
*"NO!"* Tom screamed. But he could do nothing; he was across the   
courtyard, no time to run and save her.  
The rifle fired. Tom was frozen in shock as he watched what he knew   
would be the last moments of B'Elanna's life.  
Then suddenly, a figure darted from the side, knocking B'Elanna out of   
the way.  
Within minutes, the Fiori authorities had caught the terrorists.   
B'Elanna turned to look for her savior, and saw Gaeriel lying in a pool   
of blood.  
Her scream was the last thing she heard before the transporter beam   
surrounded her and she mercifully blacked out.  
  
When she came to, she was in Sickbay, with Samantha Wildman's concerned   
face hovering in her line of vision.  
"Tom, she's awake."  
Within seconds, Tom was at her side. "How are you feeling, 'Lanna?"  
The terrorist attack, being aimed at--Gaeriel, lying on the ground,   
bleeding-- "Gaeriel--"  
"Doc's working on her."  
Their conversation was interrupted when the Doctor appeared. He   
scanned her. "Except for a broken rib, which I'll let my 'assistant'   
handle, you're fine. The fetus suffered no damage from the tumble you   
took." He moved away.  
"Gaeriel--will she live?"  
Tom picked up a bone knitter and began to move it over her rib, gently   
smoothing her hair with his free hand. "She's stabilized for now.   
Don't worry about her. Get some rest."  
Too tired to argue with him, B'Elanna allowed her eyes to close.  
  
When she awoke again, she realized that she was still in sickbay. Tom,   
who was in the Doctor's office, happened to glance up and see her awake.   
He came out to her. "How do you feel?"  
"My back hurts, but other than that, I feel okay. How's Gaeriel?"  
"She's in a coma. We're not sure how serious."  
The Doctor appeared. After scanning B'Elanna again, he told her she   
could go back to their quarters. "But *rest*, Lieutenant. No setting   
foot in engineering for the next 48 hours."  
B'Elanna consented and Tom walked her out.  
  
(The next day)  
Samantha was assisting the Doctor when the heart monitor hooked up to   
Gaeriel began to beep an alarm. The Doctor took one look at the readout   
and immediately called for 3 cc's of atrosine. Samantha gave it to him   
and he injected it, to no avail. The line stopped wavering and became   
straight.  
"Cortical stimulator. I'm not giving up yet." The Doctor carefully   
attached the small device to Gaeriel's forehead. "Now."  
Samantha hit the button, and for a minute, there was a beep, but it   
fell back to a straight line.  
"Again."  
The straight line continued.  
"Again, Ensign."  
Samantha hit the button, but there was still no effect.  
The Doctor shook his head and turned to make a note in the log.   
Samantha moved toward the doors. Tom, B'Elanna and the Captain would   
want to know. But the doors opened before she got there, admitting   
Harry.  
"How is she?"  
Samantha could only shake her head.  
"Doctor?"  
"I'm sorry, Ensign. I did all I could."  
"Gaeri, no," he whispered. "You can't be dead."  
Samantha felt for him. The two had become so close in the few days   
they had had.  
"I'll never forget you, Gaeri." Leaning down, he gently touched a kiss   
to her forehead. Then he left.  
  
The whole crew mourned for Gaeriel, but Harry took it the hardest.   
They left Fiori a week later, and Harry eventually got back to being   
himself, but he was never the same again.  
  
*  
  
(Four months later)  
It was on an uneventful day that Tom got called from the bridge down to   
sickbay. He thought that the Doctor needed him to substitute for   
Samantha, but instead he found Samantha there and B'Elanna on a biobed,   
gasping in pain. He rushed forward. "What's wrong with her?" he cried   
in panic.  
"Nothing's wrong with her, Mr. Paris," the Doctor said calmly. "She   
has merely gone into labor."  
Relieved, Tom went to her side. She opened her eyes and smiled weakly.   
"About time you got here." Then her smile vanished as another   
contraction ripped through her.  
"Stay calm, 'Lanna. Breathe deep and then push."  
The labor lasted ten hours, Tom comforting and encouraging B'Elanna   
every step of the way. Then suddenly the silence was pierced by   
B'Elanna's cry of pain, followed by an indignant holler.  
"It's a girl," the Doctor smiled, wrapping the screaming newborn in a   
blanket and handing her to B'Elanna.  
"Shh," B'Elanna whispered. "I'm right here and so is your daddy."  
The baby's screaming subsided and she slowly opened her eyes. To their   
surprise, they were not blue, like Tom's, or dark brown, like   
B'Elanna's, but a startling emerald green.  
"She has green eyes!" B'Elanna exclaimed.  
"Unusual," the Doctor mused, "for a baby with a blue-eyed father and a   
brown-eyed mother."  
Tom snapped his fingers suddenly. "Aunt Saffi."  
"What?" B'Elanna asked.  
"My great-aunt on my dad's side, Admiral Saffi Karman-Paris, named   
after her father. She had emerald eyes."  
"That would explain it," the Doctor concluded. "Often a trait will   
stay recessive for several generations, then show up again." He smiled.   
"Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted with your daughter. If you   
need anything, I'll be in my office."  
After the Doctor disappeared, Tom looked down at his wife and new   
daughter. "I wish Gaeriel had lived to see the baby. It's because of   
her that you both are alive."  
"I wish she could have, too," B'Elanna said quietly.  
They were silent for a minute, then they looked at each other, then   
down at the baby. When their eyes met again, they didn't have to say   
anything. Their eyes said enough.  
  
*  
  
"She's beautiful," Kathryn said, smiling with pride.  
"I'll bet she'll take after Tom," Sue Nicoletti predicated. "She'll   
have all his charm--"  
"--and Lan's explosive temper," Joe Carey teased.  
B'Elanna childishly made a face at Joe. Everyone laughed.  
The doors opened and Harry walked in. "Sorry I'm late." Then his eyes   
landed on B'Elanna and the baby. "Wow, Maquis, she's adorable. Can I   
hold her?"  
B'Elanna and Tom exchanged a glance, then B'Elanna smiled handing Harry   
the baby. "Little one, this is your Uncle Harry. Harry, meet your   
niece, Gaeriel Skye Paris."  
  
  
Sad story with happy ending! Legal junk's up there. TPTB owns the main   
characters. My story, mine, mine, mine. Tom's great-aunt was named   
after Saffi Karman, Gaeriel's writing partner. Comments -   
cheile@hotmail.com 


End file.
